The Mythical Chapter 49
by secretsofgray
Summary: Chapters 48 (old) and 49 (new) of "When It All Comes Crashing Down." (AKA the 'Naruto and Co Go To Therapy Fic.) More info inside!
1. Chapter 48

**I know. I know. This isn't chapter 49 – this is 48, which I've put up for recap purposes. **

**Chapters 1 – 48 consecutively can be found at my other account, link in profile. **

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**ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S NOTE: No matter how much I apologize, I won't be able to make up for lack of updates. I can only thank a lovely little reader who left a lovely little message for the motivation and hope that people still read this. **

**I don't know if I've lost the knack for this story, and holy shit I've churned this out in two sittings. **

**I don't own anything. **

**In other news, happy St. Patty's Day!**

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**12:04 AM, Balcony**

Kakashi had three ways to go about this. He could be by the book, and apprehend Danzo and Co. the traditional way – Danzo was a high-profile criminal, and being found here would finally bring enough evidence to light to incarcerate him.

Or he could go the non-traditional way and put a bullet in the head of every man in the room. It was a tempting thought and much as he wanted to…

His finger itched to pull the trigger. _No. Doing that now will cause unnecessary complications. _He hadn't missed the three or so bodyguards, and he technically wasn't with SWAT anymore. He couldn't get away with a stunt like that – not again.

_But still...it's worth it._

His hand twitched on the trigger and his mind screamed _NO_ but the bullet was still fire –

It didn't matter, though. That was when the bomb went off.

.

**12:05, arena**

.

There wasn't time to think – this was just too _perfect._ Kev grabbed Skye's forearm and booked it into the arena towards the fire. It'd be the last place anyone'd be heading, and he figured he could get out that way. _Across the arena, up the stairs. Take the staff elevator to the top and you'll be in the clear…_

"_The hell you doing?!_" he heard Skye yell from behind him, then immediately break out into a bout of coughing. There wasn't enough time to respond, but he couldn't have her stop here – he needed her to trust him.

He flashed her a grin over his shoulder and jerked them sharply to the right. His eyes stung and breathing was becoming harder, and it was _hot_. He was surprised that he hadn't caught fire yet –

Kev suddenly stumbled and nearly fell over the other boy. Skye crashed into him, and Kev only stopped for two seconds. In those two seconds he clarified that _yes,_ he'd just tripped over that Uzumaki boy and without a second thought Kev yanked him up by his shirt collar and tugged him along as well.

He drug them across the stadium and into the marble alcoves, nearly landing on his face when he lept over the ditch. They tumbled down, coughing. Kev bent over to catch his breath, resting his hands on his knees. His eyes stung and his face was hot and his coat was singed.

They were in the alcove that ran along the level of the arena. There were several marble pillars and a ditch that separated the hallway from the fighting grounds – they'd be okay from the fire.

For a little, at least.

Naruto was curled up on the floor, whimpering; Skye crouched next to him. Her eyes were red and watery from the smoke and the laces of her boots were burnt and smoldering. The two of them were a sorry sight, and Kev felt sort of bad for them, but they _had_ to keep moving.

"You ready?" he asked, wishing for a cigarette.

Skye looked from Kev to Naruto. "Can you stand?"

Naruto's eyes were screwed shut – the kid looked _pained._ Kev shook his head, feeling around in his pocket for a lighter and a smoke. Only one cig, and a lighter. He frowned.

"We need to get moving, sweetheart," Kev told Skye. "We're sort of in a burning building. I can carry him –"

"I'm _fine,_" Naruto growled. Kev couldn't have said 'fuck you' better if he'd tried.

"Are you?" Kev shot back, more out of habit than necessity. Skye threw him a look, but got to her feet. She opened her mouth but before she could speak a door in the hallway slid open. Sai, Sakura, and Gaara emerged, eyes widening. Kev watched them – neither Skye nor Naruto had noticed them yet.

All eyes were glued to the inferno. Sakura shouted frantically, "Where's Naruto?!"

He cleared his throat. "Over here." He gestured to Skye and Naruto. All eyes were on him, and then there was a tall ass motherfucker wrestling him to the ground. Kev stood his ground, shoving Sai across the hallway. "Will you calm _down?!_" he snarled. He gestured out at the arena. "We sort of have to _go._"

"Where to?" Sakura asked, straightening up.

"Elevator. It'll take us up to the main level." Kev fixed everyone with a glare. "We cool? Get _up,_" he toed Naruto's side with his boot. "We have to get _moving._"

With that he grabbed the kid by his shirt collar, slung his arm around his shoulders, and half-carried him down the hallway.

x.x.x

Sakura glanced nervously at the arena. Thick black smoke billowed over red and yellow flames. She swallowed and stared at her feet instead, praying that the fire wouldn't catch them. Skye, Kev, and Naruto were singed and smelt of smoke – Kev's jacket was sort of smoldering, but he refused to take it off.

No one argued with him.

_At least Sai seems to know where we're going._

In front of her Naruto was trying to tell Kev that he could walk, but Kev was having none of it. Sakura bit her lip – Naruto _did_ look a little worse for wear, not to mention tired.

They stopped abruptly at an elevator marked 'staff only.' Kev slammed the 'up' button, muttering to himself under his breath as they waited. He dropped Naruto down once they were in the elevator.

There were no specific floor buttons, just 'up' 'down' and 'penthouse.' Kev pressed 'up' and waited anxiously, muttering to himself.

"What are we doing there?" Gaara wanted to know.

Kev fixed him with a look. "I'm not leaving without Rynn or Kyon."

Sakura shrunk in on herself as the two boys locked in an electric staring match. Gaara relented, crossing his arms. A muscle jumped in his jaw, but that was all.

_This is easily the most awkward elevator ride I've ever been on. _

After a solid minute of complete and utter silence, the doors opened with a _ding!_ They clambered out behind Kev. They were in the hotel proper now, more or less – granted, it was after midnight, but no one was around. Not even staff.

_We're not home free yet._

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**12:15**

Zabuza was fucking happy as hell that he'd left the spectator's box when he had. Granted, it had sucked at the time – being needed god-knows-where because his fucktard son couldn't sit still and _listen_ – but it'd saved his life.

The minute the arena went up in flames was the minute he snapped into action. He had three guesses as to who was behind it and he was damned if he was losing the research. He might not have been a scientists, but he sure as hell knew what he was doing. It was his vision, his goal, and he sure as hell wasn't letting a case of arson fuck it up.

**12:17**

"Just – hold –_on!_"

Naruto watched wearily as Kev quite literally kicked down a door. He was sitting against the opposite hallway wall, too tired to stand. His body felt worn out. His head was pounding. It was like the life had been sucked from him.

And he was hungry as hell. That too.

_I just want to sleep…_

He went to blink – really, that was all – and the next thing he knew a worried Sakura was shaking his shoulder and Gaara was hoisting him up. Two beat up kids – Rynn and Kyon – were coming out of the room with the broken door, and a guy in white with a bloody nose was making himself scarce.

He smelt smoke, and he was going to say something, _really,_ but it didn't really matter.

He thought, at least. He was too disoriented to really notice, much less _care._

x.x.x

Gaara figured that the best he could do right now was keep Naruto upright. Skye wasn't looking him in the eye and, frankly, he didn't know what to say. Kev was leading them to another door – one that would take them to a part of the hotel that actually had windows and doors, he said, but when he opened the door thick, black, smoke met his face in a wave of heat. Kev slammed the door shut with a curse and whirled around. "There goes plan A."

"What's plan B?" Rynn asked. "And can you get this freakin' manacle off?" he held out his wrist. One end of a handcuff was closed around it, the other half broken and swinging from his wrist.

"Thought you liked the kinky shit?" Skye asked with a grin. Rynn shot a glare at her.

"Both of you shut up." Kev shut his eyes and exhaled. "Look, we need to get _out_ of here. The building's sort of on _fire_ and right now, we can either leave or go up in flames with it. The exit's blocked and the only way we can get out is through the labs up there or the basement, neither of which are, so to speak, _desirable._"

"You could've just said we're screwed," Skye remarked dryly.

"The basement's out," Sai added, thoroughly ignoring her. "The ground level's on fire. I wouldn't risk going down."

"I know," Kev said, "I just don't wanna go to the labs."

Gaara didn't understand what Kev's problem was. It was inevitable. Kev seemed to realize it. He grit his teeth and stalked down the hallway. "C'mon. Elevator's probably out. We have to take the stairs."

x.x.x

Taking the stairs turned out to be a mistake. They had been on them for all of five minutes when flames began climbing up behind them.

Sakura heard the flames before she saw them – it was a like the sound of a train, only it crackled more. She turned around and saw the smoke. "Uh…guys?"

"It's burning," said Sai.

"_Fuck,"_ Kev said. He dropped back to help Gaara with Naruto. "Fucking move _I know it's burning!_"

They ran fast as they could. When they reached the landing Sai ushered them to the side and through an emergency door. For a split second Sakura thought that they were outside – but no, she realized. They were in what looked like a chemistry lab.

A freaking _chemistry _lab.

x.x.x

There were Bunsen burners and sinks and a hazardous chemical cabinet, set up in rows like the one at his school. Papers were strewn all over the place and folders were laid on a central desk. Rynn swallowed and felt his stomach plunge. Kev was getting agitated, storming around the room and opening cabinets before slamming them shut with a curse. He turned all the Bunsen burners on as he went.

"What are you _doing?_" Skye demanded, hands on her hips.

Kev didn't pause. "Getting rid of this shit. If we leave, there's not telling that this room'll be destroyed. We're burning it _now._"

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Rynn wanted to know. _This kid is crazy. Absolutely crazy. _

"High end place like this is probably _swimming_ in propane," he said. "You know, for heat. And Burners equal methane."

Two minutes later he had a red container of gasoline and a white propane tank. "Jackpot. Kyon, get the door. And – matches. They should be…"

"Here." Sakura had noticed them on the countertop to her right. She made to hand them to Kev, who was right next to her. Before she could, too many things happened at once.

x.x.x

Kyon opened the door and stepped into the penthouse. He didn't have time to respond before he was grabbed by his arm and shoved into the wall, _hard._

He blinked dazedly as Kev's dad yanked him up by his bicep and drug him into the lab. Struggling was useless – though Zabuza was just as whipcord lean as his son, all of his body mass was solid muscle.

_Fuck._

x.x.x

Sai made to aim his gun when the man – he recognized him as Zabuza – stormed in.

"Put that thing away right the fuck now," he barked, placing the barrel of a revolver against Kyon's head, "Or I shoot."

The air in the room went still as Sai lowered his gun and placed it on the counter. Sakura swallowed thickly. Her hands shook as she held the matches.

The man glared at Kev. "Why are the burners on?! What the fuck is this?"

Kev glared back. "I dunno, _Dad,_" he sneered, "You tell me. What the fuck does it look like?" In one fluid motion he stepped forward and took Sai's gun off the counter.

"Put that _down_!" his dad growled. He jostled Kyon "Or he gets killed."

Kyon whimpered. Kev seemed unfazed. "You hurt him," Kev said dangerously, "And I'll fucking blow my brains out. You get me?" He held the barrel of the gun against the bottom of his jaw. "Don't think I won't."

Sakura bit her lip and tried to sink into the floor. She held her breath, but the man eventually gave a sharp, bitter bark of laughter. He kicked Kyon away and sheathed his gun; the boy scrambled back. "You're a piece of work, you know that?"

"Learned from the best." He kicked over the gasoline container and grabbed Sakura by her forearm. "Light it! _Now!_"

Sakura struck the match, but she fumbled – though the match was lit, the rest of the book was soaked in gasoline. Useless.

It didn't matter, though – she dropped the match onto the puddle of gasoline, jumping back as she did so.

But…

"Shit! How the fuck did that not light?"

Sakura knew. The match had gone out before it'd even hit the ground. She felt her stomach plunge.

_Useless._

"Rather sorry about that," the man said. "But, as you see, we've all been inhaling methane gas at this point, and –" he turned off a Bunsen burner, "I don't want to die."

"Fuck you," Kyon hissed, clutching his shoulder. "Fuck you and the horse you rode in on."

The man _tsked._ "And I always thought you the proper one. No matter. Now, you two," he gestured with his gun to Sakura and Skye, "I can't let you go, but I have no desire to kill you. If you could just- "

"Don't do anything," Kev barked. "We're burnin' this place if it's the last goddamn thing I do."'

He chuckled. "And how do you expect to do that? You're matches are duds," he took two steps forward, bent down and picked up the gasoline-soaked matchbox. "You don't have a flame. The lower levels that have already burned are made of concrete and steel; the damage will be superficial and easy to control." He grinned. "Game over."

"See, dad," Kev said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "This is where you're wrong."

The man kept his cool but there was a flicker in his eyes. "Whatever do you mean?"

"We all have our vices, don't we? You like your gin mom liked her sex. Well," and here, he pulled out a cigarette and stuck it the corner of his mouth, "I like my smokes."

Zabuza's expression went from arrogant to cold in seconds. "You can't light that. It'd be suicide. This entire section of the hotel – the research –" he cut himself off. "What am I saying; you wouldn't do it."

_Did he forget that Kev just threatened suicide thirty seconds ago?_

Kev quirked an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Try me."

He narrowed his eyes. "I dare you."

With a wry smile, Kev pulled out his lighter. Skye had never paid it any real attention before, but now the detail was obvious. It was silver, with black and blue designs on it. _He's not going to do it. He's just buying us time; he has to be._

"Do you now? Well, then," Kev turned and faced them, "You motherfuckers had better start running like hell's at your heels. Wait – _no you don't!_" He lunged and grabbed his dad's arm, holding him in place. "You're coming down with me," he hissed in the man's ear. He gave a feral grin, drudging up as much teeth as he could. He slammed his dad to the ground and kept a foot pinned on his chest.

"_What?"_

"Kev, don't – "

"Head through that door over there, then head out the window." He lit his cigarette and took a deep drag.

"Look man, you can't just –"

"There should be snow piles at the bottom, but hang-jump. Just to be safe. Someone haul Uzumaki's ass out, okay?"

"You – that's suicide!"

Kev turned to look at Skye, his eyes steely. "Get goin'!"

"No – you can't just!" This was from Rynn, and Kyon was right behind him. "C'mon! It'll catch soon enough! There's other ways – you know that!" Kyon went to grab Kev's arm.

Kev actually cocked back his fist and punched Kyon in the chest, hard. "_Keep running!" _

He waited until the door closed before he tossed the lighter into the gasoline.

_Game over._

x.x.x

They tumbled out of the building. There had been snow at the bottom but Skye's ankle was probably out of commission and she was coughing, coughing, and crying – tears were streaming down her cheeks and she was shaking uncontrollably. Gaara was gripping her hand, her shoulder, holding her tight to his chest because it was solid and real and _oh my god, that actually happened,_ and she fisted her hands into his shirt and didn't let go, even when the paramedics and cops and Fey and some blonde girl came because this was all she had to hold on to.

x.x.x

**As always, let me know your thoughts. **


	2. Chapter 49

**WHOA WHOA WHOA. I KNOW. I'M SURPRISED TOO.**

**Folks, I've updated. The entire -ORIGINAL- story can be found at my other account, JakkyTheRipper (link in profile.) The first two chapters of the EDITED version are up, and this - THIS - the Mythical Chapter 49 - is now up. Chapter 48 is up too, for recap purposes. **

**But, yeah. This is waaay overdue. And stuff. **

**Enjoy:) **

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The funeral was held that Wednesday.

Kyon had showed up early to the viewing. Kev's family was there, too – a woman who must've been his mother, plus some cousins, aunts, uncles, and kids from school. At the front of the room the casket lay closed; in place was a portrait from last year's yearbook, before Kev had dyed his hair. It looked almost wrong, to Kyon – he wanted to point out that that really wasn't _Kev,_ not the Kev that they'd all come to love, but he couldn't speak.

All about the room there were pictures of Kev – Kyon, Rynn, and Skye were in most of them.

It didn't feel real. His best friend was dead, _dead…_Kev was supposed to be untouchable. Nothing – _nothing_ got to him. Sure, he could be an asshole and yeah, he had a complete disregard for social norms but –

_He had a good heart, when it counted. _

Kyon bit his lip. He couldn't start crying _now,_ _God,_ the service hadn't even started and –

A hand clasped his shoulder. _Rynn. _The other boy didn't say anything, just stood next to Kyon in front of the casket.

After a moment, Rynn cleared his throat. "How've you been?" he asked, voice gentle.

Kyon ran a finger over the stitches in his cheek. "Alright," he said, but his voice cracked.

Rynn grimaced.

Kyon understood.

A minute later they were joined by Skye. She said nothing, either, not even when Kev's mom approached them.

She was beautiful, in the way older women were – not like a MILF, but elegant – Kyon would've liked to draw her, maybe, if this were a different time, but it wasn't, so he shut up.

She looked tired, teary and sad in the way that meant she was trying not to cry. "I'm sorry," she began, "For – everything." She paused, and Kyon's heart twinged. They'd already had this conversation, the four of them, the _You lost a friend and I lost a son and it's all because of my psycho-ex-husband,_ the whole, _Kev did it, he sacrificed himself and that's why we're alive,_ the police, the hospitals, the doctors, the school...

She handed each of them a little black velvet box. "Kev…he'd want you to have them."

Inside each of the boxes was one of Kev's rings.

Kyon got the silver-with-satin finished claddagh; to Rynn went the silver raven ring; Skye received his class ring – silver with a red stone.

Kyon looked up, bit his lip. He wanted to say something – wanted to apologize, wanted to yell and scream that Kev didn't _deserve this,_ wanted to do _something _but didn't know _what– _but Rynn saved it. "Thank you," he said, voice even. He cleared his throat. "Kev – ah. Thank you."

Kev's mother gave a watery smile and said, "There's refreshments in the other room, if you're hungry."

Kyon wanted to say _no, thanks, I'm fine we'll stay here, _ but Rynn was ushering them into the next room. Kyon was about to protest, but Rynn shushed him. "Other people want to see the casket," he whispered.

_Oh._

It was hard to forget that they weren't Kev's only friends.

Kyon bit his lip. The room with the refreshments was empty. Skye slid into a chair and Rynn and Kyon followed suit.

"Actually," Skye said. "I'm going to get coffee."

All was silent as she stood and fixed herself a cup. When she sat back down, she took a sip and immediately put it down. "Fuck. No I don't."

Kyon wanted to hug her, to pat her on the back at tell her _shh, it's okay, no reason to get upset about coffee_ but he couldn't, instead sitting on his hands and feeling sick.

Rynn, gracious as ever, reached across the table and covered her hand with his own. Kyon bit his lip and fingered his ring. It was too big – loose even on his thumb. He'd have to put it on a chain, or something, until he grew into it.

Next to him, Skye bit her lip. "Fuck," she said again, but it came out choked and she looked like she was going to cry and _no, no, Skye doesn't cry, she _never_ cries…_

"I can't do this," Kyon said, and ran out.

He brushed past people in the hallway, shouldered open the heavy door, and sprinted down the steps and out into the parking lot. His chest hurt and his knees were weak and he felt so damn _shaky, _so _shaky,_ and normally he'd go to Kev and Kev would help but the thing was, Kev was _dead._

Kev was dead and he wasn't coming back.

_Asshole. You fucking asshole. _

And it was with that thought that Kyon bent over and threw up.

That was how Rynn found him, wordlessly offering him gum when he was done. Skye kneeled down next to him and took his hand, making circles on the back of it with her thumb. Someone might've said _shh, it's okay, calm down,_ but Kyon wasn't sure and it _wasn't okay,_ because he was in an oxford shirt and Rynn was in a suit and Skye was in a dress and it was for a funeral, a _funeral,_ _a funeral for his best friend._

"C'mon, buddy," Rynn said, pulling him up.

Kyon didn't meet anybody's eyes. He wanted to say _I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, I just feel sick – _but the words wouldn't come and _dammit, he was crying._

Skye hadn't let go of his hand; she gave it a squeeze. He twitched his fingers in response.

Rynn put his hands on both of their shoulders. "Hey – hey. Kev…he's gone. But he – he knew what he was doing." His voice cracked a little and he swallowed thickly. "We gotta live for him now. Okay? We gotta stick together. We can't…we can't lose you. Either of you." He brought them both into a hug, and Kyon felt sick but he stopped shaking and _god, Rynn, I wish I had your optimism. _

"Fuck," Skye said, dabbing her eyes and pulling away. She was crying and her makeup was running and Kyon figured that someone should tell her she was beautiful but he didn't. He _didn't._

Instead he said, "You're fine," and it came out rusty but she smiled and grabbed his hand. In her other hand she took Rynn's, and together the three of them walked back into the funeral home.

As it were, no words were necessary.

.

.

.

**_BLOODBATH LEAVES 34 DEAD, 15 HOSPITALIZED. _**

**_December 19: _**_The Glass Hotel, located just inside the city of Konoha, was burned to the ground in the early morning hours of December 18. It was originally reported that this was a case of arson – but investigations reveal something much more sinister. _

_Doctors Orochimaru Hiruzen and Hiro no Sabaku were arrested twelve years ago for human experimentation. Both were released two years ago on probation with their respective medical licenses revoked. Although this set the Jinchuuriki Project back, it did not stop it completely. Twenty years ago, plans were made to experiment on eighteen subjects – nine in utero and nine infants. Though the immediate goal is yet unknown, ultimately, police believe, they were trying to create the perfect human weapon. _

_Scientists from across the board were attending a five-day symposium at the Glass Hotel the weekend of December 17. Police are still unsure how many of them were connected to Jinchuuriki. No names have been released. _

_Police were given an anonymous tip and were on the scene half an hour before the Glass Hotel began burning around midnight of the 17__th__. Whether or not this was a last-ditch effort to conceal Jinchuuriki is unknown, but investigators believe that this was a third-party attempt; evidence of large quantities of explosives has been discovered. _

_Eleven of the subjects are among the thirty-four dead; another two have been identified among the 15 injured. _

_More information on the Jinchuuriki Project is expected to follow when the police have completed questioning. _

Kakashi sighed and put down the newspaper, not bothering to look at any of the other ones Anko had unceremoniously dumped onto his hospital bed five minutes ago.

Presently the woman was sitting in the chair next to his bed. When he looked over at her, she asked, "Do you think I'd go to hell for smoking in a hospital room?"

Before he could answer she'd already lit a cigarette. "Blech," she said, moments after inhaling. "Hospital cigs _suck." _

Kakashi rolled his eye. "Try the food."

Anko snorted, flicking ash into a cup on the bedside table. "You know, that was almost funny."

To that Kakashi offered no response, instead staring down at his hands. Talking was difficult when half your face had nearly melted off and the other half was bandaged. Kakashi had never perceived himself as particularly vain before, but, with a pretty girl in the room and all…

Back in high school, his History teacher had shown the class a documentary – one of those humanitarian ones – about the aftermath of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during WWII. The images of the people who'd been burned had been graphic and disgusting and Kakashi was pretty sure that's what he looked like.

"Merry Christmas, by the way."

He looked up. Anko was standing, looking out the window. It had snowed the night before, and made for a pretty sight on the hospital grounds.

"The twenty-fifth already?" he mused, idly following her gaze. She was looking up, at the power lines – more specifically, where several dozen birds sat perched, silhouetted against the gray sky.

_Seven days._ He'd been in the hospital about a week – firstly to treat his injuries and then for reconstructive surgery. His insurance covered it, so he couldn't bitch about the cost, but still – Kakashi wanted out. He'd have to wait: between the shrapnel that had to be dug out of his back, the burns, and the concussion he'd sustained….well. The doctors weren't planning on letting him out anytime soon. – especially given his medical history.

_And my eye…_

Kakashi mentally groaned. He'd contemplated just checking himself out – he'd done that in the past – but he couldn't muster the energy to fight with his doctor. Maybe it was a sign of him getting old.

He sighed and leaned back, shut his good eye. He'd sent emails out to the parents of his students, explaining that he would have to postpone therapy until after the new year for medical reasons, but still he worried. _Sabaku_ wasn't a common surname, and, well…

_Well._

He looked over at Anko again, idly letting his mind wander. All the things she could be doing Christmas morning…and she was here.

"How are you holding up?" he asked, surprising himself with the question.

Her glance shifted over to him, a corner of her mouth tugging up. "Don't treat me like one of your students, Kakashi."

"It was just a question."

"You like small talk just about as much as I do." As if to prove her point, she flicked her cigarette ash at him.

Kakashi sighed and rested his back against the bed. "Aren't we a little too old for this?"

"Maybe _you _are, old man. I'm only twenty-six."

"Old man? I'm thirty-two."

"Puh-_lease._ You're practically old enough to be my dad."

"You wound me."

Two sharp knocks sounded on the door and then the nurse walked in. "Kakashi Hatake? The doctor wants to see you now." She turned to Anko, "Miss, if you could –"

Anko cut her off. "I'm on my way." She shrugged don her coat and picked up her messenger bag. "I'll see you later, alright? Oh –I almost forgot." She rummaged around in her bag and pulled out a box wrapped in red paper. "Merry Christmas, jerk. Tootles!"

Kakashi shook his head, putting the present aside. The nurse looked a little amused, saying, "Oh, go open it. The doctors never come when they say they're going to."

Kakashi did, wondering why Anko was suddenly being so _nice._ Sure, she was fun company and yeah, he supposed they were friends, but she wasn't the gift-giving type. Anko was more a 'cover-your-tab-on-your-birthday' kind of person.

He unwrapped the box and opened it. Inside was a black, Under Armour-esque material. Kakashi frowned down at it, unsure of what it was.

A note fell from it. It was written in purple, and it took Kakashi a moment to decipher the swirly, feminine handwriting:

_Black always was your color. _

_._

_._

_._

_**Thoughts? **_


End file.
